Rein-holder.



S. M. LUTZ.

REIN HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED 1112.16, 1911.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.l

INVENTO? .fOrOPOxOb D000. v .MONO

WITNESSES.

SAMUEL M. LUTZ, 0F DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

REIN-HOLDER.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Application iied February 16, 1911. Serial No. 609,069.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. LUTz, aV citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Rein-Holders, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to certain improvements in rein holders; and the objects and nature of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings showing what `I now consider to be my preferred embodiment from among other formations and arrangements within the spirit and' scope of my invention.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations l and arrangements as more fully and` particularly set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure l, is a side elevation of the rein holder of my invention with parts shown in one adjustment. Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the holder with the parts adjusted to tightly grip the reins. Fig. 3, is a top plan view of the structure as shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4l, is a front elevation with parts broken away.

The rein holder of my invention is adapted to be secured to any suitable portion of a vehicle, such for instance, as the floor or lower portion of the vehicle where the clamp lever or`handle will be accessible to the foot of the operator, or the holder can be attached to the seat or other portion of the vehicle with the lever accessible to the hand of the operator. For example, in the drawings, I show the holder secured .to the seat A, of the vehicle by screws M, M', passed through the horizontal and vertical portions E, P', of the holder base.

I), is a post, rigid abutment or fixed clamping member rigid with and rising from the base and usually rounded in cross section, and reduced or tapered at its upper end K, which is deflected forwardly and rounded to form a guide for the reins being passed downwardly to be gripped between the post and movable clamping member.

The movable clamping jaw C, is vertically elongated and extends upwardly in rear of the post and closely adjacent thereto and is longitudinally concave at its gripping face, that is, its front face adjacent to the post,

andthe upper end of thisjaw is usually;

beveled upwardly and rearwardly to aid in Arigid with a horizontally disposed vertically swingable lever L, at its front end fulcrumed lto the postt-o swing on a horizontal axis, while the lever 1s extended rearwardly be-V yond the jaw C, and terminates in a handle Various means can be provided for fuleruming the front end of the lever to the post, although in the specific example illustrated, I show the front end of the lever forked and straddlingV the post at recess X, with the legs N, of the forked front .end of the lever mounted to rock on screws N', removably entering tapped holes in the post. The legs N, can be formed with several pivot holes N for the pivot or fulcrum screws whereby the lever can be adjusted forwardly orrrearwardly to vary the dis- .tance between the movable jaw andpost according to the size or thickness of the reins to be gripped by the holder.r Y

B, is a screw threaded bolt rigid with the 'base' and rising vertically therefrom a distance in rear of the post and movable jaw. This post passes loosely through a slot'in the lever L, and above the lever is provided with a vertically adjustable stop, such as nut T, engaging the lever and limiting the upward swing thereof and consequently limiting the movement of the movable jaw toward the post. Any suitable spring is provided for constantly pressing the lever upwardly and hence yieldingly holding the movable jaw toward the post and in rein gripping or clamping relation with respect thereto. In the specie example illustrated, I show coiled expansive spring S, mounted on bolt B, and bearing up against the lever L, to elevate the same, but I do not' wish to limit my invention to such speciic form and arrangement of spring.

The tension or pressure under which the reins are gripped and held between the post and jaw can be controlled by adjusting the stop T. The nut can be adjusted so that the normal positions of the jaw and lever will be as shown by Fig. l, wherein the reins can be somewhat freely slipped between and withdrawn from the post and jaw and will not be tightly gripped but will be held under comparatively light pressure. rl`he nut can be adjusted upwardly to the position shown by F ig. 2, permitting` the jaw to bear against the post with considerable pressure to most tightly grip and lock the reins to and against the post. Then thus held gripped the operator can depress the lever in order to release the reins, and if necessary can depress the lever to swing the jaw from the post to permit ready insertion of the reins between the post and jaw. By means of the adjustable stop, the rein-gripping tension on the jaw can be adjusted t0 suit the requirements of the particular operator or the particular reins employed.

It is evident that various changes and modifications might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosure hereof.

What I claim is l. A rein holder comprising a base having a fixed post rising therefrom, a lever fulcrumed at its forward end to swing vertically and extending laterally over the base plate and rearwardly beyond the same having a projecting operating end, said lever near its front end provided with an upright jaw rigid therewith and rising therefrom beside and in rein gripping relation with respect to said post, an expansion spring interposed between said lever and said base and yieldingly holding the lever upwardly to tilt said jaw to said post, and a vertically adjustable stop limiting the upward swing of said lever and controlling the rein gripping pressure of said jaw with respect to said post, substantially as described.

2. A rein holder consisting of a base, a rigid upright post rising therefrom and at its rear side formed with a longitudinal rib, a laterally extending vertically swingable lever provided with al jaw rigid therewith and rising from the front portion thereof beside said post, said jaw being transversely concaved and formed with spaced longitudinal ribs in rein gripping relation with respect to said rib of the post, a spring yieldingly holding said lever at its limit of movement with said jaw toward the post, and an adjustable stop limiting the movement of the lever under the tension of said spring.

3. A rein holder comprising a base having a fixed post rising therefrom, a lever fulcrumed at its forward end to swing vertically and extending laterally over the base plate and rearwardly beyond the same having a projecting operating end, said lever near its front end provided with an upright jaw rigid therewith and rising therefrom beside and in rein gripping relation with respect to said post, said lever formed with a transverse opening in rear of said jaw, a threaded rod rising from and carried by said base and project-ing through said opening, an adjustable stop on said rod and limiting upward movement of said lever, and a spring yieldingly holding said lever to said stop.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa ture in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL hl. LUTZ.

Vitnesses E. S. MoDoNALD, Rosa VonLoKER.

Copies of Ithis patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

